Welcome to Consider Yourself Hugged! Click below to watch or Click here to listen to Episode 196.
*Disclaimer:
The information in this show is not intended to be therapy or to address your individual situation. It is information based on experiences, opinions, and research. If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources at the end of the show notes, or others in your area.
Chatter: Understanding & Managing Your Inner Voice
Welcome back! Today, we'll discuss Chatter by Ethan Kross, a book that dives deep into the nature of self-talk, how it can spiral into negativity, and practical strategies for quieting that inner critic. We'll explore how the book's concepts apply to our own experiences with anxiety, depression, and mental well-being.
Key Takeaways from Chatter
📖 What is Chatter?
Chatter refers to cyclical, negative self-talk that fuels anxiety, self-doubt, and stress.
Our inner voice can be helpful for problem-solving and motivation, but when it turns into chatter, it can be destructive.
🧠 Understanding Self-Talk & Chatter
Our brains process thoughts at a staggering 4,000 words per minute!
Studies show that what we think about impacts our happiness more than our actual experiences.
The book provides 12 evidence-based strategies to reduce chatter.
💡 Tami & Michelle’s Perspectives
Tami found Chatter particularly relevant due to her history with anxiety and spiraling thoughts.
Michelle, who identifies more with struggles around depression rather than chatter, found some of the strategies helpful but noted that self-talk techniques may not always address deeper emotional struggles.
Their discussion highlights how different mental health experiences affect the way we process books like Chatter.
🛠 12 Strategies to Quiet Chatter
Use distanced self-talk – Refer to yourself in the third person to create psychological distance.
Imagine advising a friend – Speak to yourself as kindly as you would a loved one.
Broaden your perspective – Compare the current situation to past challenges you've overcome.
Reframe experiences as challenges – Shift from fear to opportunity.
Reinterpret your body's response – View anxious symptoms (e.g., rapid heartbeat) as signs of excitement.
Normalize the experience – Remind yourself that others have similar struggles.
Engage in mental time travel – Ask yourself if this situation will matter in a week, a month, or a year.
Change the view – Imagine yourself as a fly on the wall observing the situation.
Write expressively – Journaling can help process emotions.
Adopt a neutral third-party perspective – View situations objectively.
Clutch a lucky charm or embrace a superstition – Rituals can provide comfort.
Perform a ritual – Engage in grounding activities to quiet the mind.
🌿 Bonus Tip: Get Outside!
Spending time in nature has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and mental chatter.
Upcoming Episodes & Exciting News!
📚 Michelle will choose one more book for the book club, focusing on a topic related to depression or self-worth.
🎙 February episodes will cover burnout and compassion fatigue—stay tuned!
🚀 Tami & Michelle are working on a new AI-related project coming in March!
🏕 They’re planning mini-retreats for women seeking clarity and direction in life.
Join the Conversation!
💬 How do you deal with your own chatter? Which strategies from the book resonated with you the most? Let us know in the comments!
📩 Subscribe & Review!If you love the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode with someone who needs it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📌 Follow Us:
🔗 Website: www.tamiwest.com
📘 Private Facebook Group for Women! Consider Yourself Hugged Community
📺 YouTube: Check out our video episodes!
👥 Want to join us on a retreat? Let us know in the comments!
As we've always asked in the past, please pass the show link along to your friends and subscribe, download, and review wherever you are listening. If you’re a woman and you haven’t joined our private FB group A Place for Women, please do that now! It’ll be your source of encouragement. I'd love for you to follow my Tami West Seminars Facebook page as well. If you'd like to know more about my Mental Health First Aid Courses, contact me at 615-497-7714 or tamiwest@tamiwest.com.
And next time, Consider Yourself Hugged (AND warned 😘🤗
Mental Health Resources:
Michelle Kixmiller, MSN, MAE, RN, APN, PMHNP-BC
Michelle Kixmiller is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Licensed Educator. She works with children and adults with mental health needs including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Michelle served as a public school teacher and science department chair for over a decade when a family tragedy pulled her in a different direction. The death of her younger brother after a multiple year battle with depression and alcoholism led her to pursue a career in the mental health field. She went back to school to become a registered nurse graduating and gaining experience as a critical care nurse at a level 1 regional burn center prior to completing a graduate degree to become a mental health nurse practitioner. Her vision is holistic care through teamwork to create a more peaceful school environment for students and staff alike. No one should have to struggle alone. Michelle currently works full time for a non-profit community mental health center at an outpatient clinic and works PRN for an inpatient crisis stabilization unit. When not at work she loves spending time with family, traveling, watching movies (not scary ones), running (slowly), and Crossfit. Contact Michelle at Silver Lining Psychiatric Solutions, 615-378-7713 or mkixmill@gmail.com.
Tami West, PhD
Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.
Tami has worked in a variety of industries including healthcare, school nutrition, corporate sales, and 10 years as a public-school teacher. In 2013 she received her PhD in Human Development, studying the connections among stress, emotions, and identity.
Dr. West has spoken in 48 states across the US, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In any given year, Tami speaks to groups with audiences consisting of anywhere from 100 to 3,000 people.
Dr. West is the author of several successful publications including three books: The Stress Club, Life Without the Monsters and Thrive. When she's not speaking or writing, you might find her with her traveling with her husband and family, reading historical fiction, or watching Big Bang Theory.
Tami connects with audiences through real experience, cutting edge research, and transparent stories – all sprinkled with humor! She will make you laugh, cry, and shine a refreshingly new light on life's challenges.
Television Interviews
Contact Tami at tamiwest@tamiwest.com
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